Almost one in three of these homes of St Mary’s Street in the year of 1917 were held in the name of a woman occupant. Even in today’s emancipated world, such a percentage is unheard of. Two factors probably contributed. Women live longer. And, more importantly, this was wartime and many menfolk were fighting at the Somme or on the other Green Fields of France – many too, never to return.
 

Many of our town’s best known surnames are included. Was James Braniff a forebear of Peter Braniff, solicitor? Is Michael Falloon a predecessor of our reader, Gene? Was William a father to the famous Joe Connellan, public representative?
 

Certainly this list, like those that went before and others to follow, should be of immense help to Newry folk in search of their ancestors!